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Dave, when I was 14 or 15, my father somehow cadged tickets to Ali-Frazier II, one of about a thousand “Fights of the Centuries,” in the over-hyped parlance of puglism. We sat way up in the nose-bleeds, could hardly see a thing. But still…I was there.

In the wake of the out-pouring over Ali’s death, the one thing that never sat right with me about the man was his horrible, racist treatment of Joe Frazier–calling him a gorilla and the like. Ali was undoubtedly a great boxer and a transformational figure. But a flawed man, too.

BTW, in those days, it seemed America was divided into two camps, like Russia’s ‘whites’ and ‘reds.’ The Fraziers and the Alis. I didn’t get the bombast and bragging as an act and was repelled by Ali. And I gravitated more to Frazier’s blue-collar, workmanlike ethos. Of course, I respect Ali for what he did and who he was. But I’ll admit, I was pulling for Smokin’ Joe.

One more, one day in the early 80s, Frazier was planning a comeback. I was running early in the morning in Central Park and saw him doing roadwork with his entourage. He was wearing cut off shorts, army boots and a black leather vest.

George,
Joe Frazier was an amazing guy.
He gradually went blind in one eye but kept it quiet in case they took his boxing licence away.
So when he fought Ali he only had one eye.
When his good eye was closed he fought the rest of the fight blind, and no one knew.
He never talked about it until after he retired.

In the UK, Ali was more popular because Brits like boxers more than fighters.
That’s why Marvin Hagler would never allow a British judge at any of his fights.
Americans prefer aggression in fighters, but Brits prefer style